LIGHT READING INLAND POWER AND LIGHT inlandpower.com
SEPTEMBER 2018
Anatomy of a Power Pole? You likely don’t pay much attention to the utility poles found throughout Inland Power’s service area, but we do and these structures are the backbone of our electric distribution network. Your cooperative has 5,241 miles of overhead power lines (and 1,956 of underground) strung across 101,897 wooden poles throughout our service area comprising 13 counties. Not all poles have all equipment pictured on them as they vary according to
What’s on an Electric Power location and the servicePole? they provide. This is an illustration of basic equipment found on a typical distribution pole and can vary by location.
Insulators prevent energized wires from coming in contact with each other or the utility pole.
A crossarm holds the wires up on the pole and away from other wires or pole. Lightning arrestors protect the pole and equipment from lightning strikes.
Transformers convert higher voltage electricity carried by primary wires and lowers the voltage for use by customers. A ground wire runs the entire length of the pole. It directs any stray voltage on the pole safely into the earth.
Primary wires are on top of the pole and usually carry 7,200 volts of electricity from a substation.
Cutouts act like a fuse and open when there is a problem with the line or a section of it. The neutral wire is below the transformer and balances out the amount of electricity or load on the system.
The secondary wire carries the lower voltage electricity to the home after it passes through the transformer.
Telephone and cable wires are typically the lowest wires.
Guy wires help stabilize utility poles.
Providing Power to Our Valued Members How it all works. Inland’s BPA/ Avista transmission lines operate at anywhere from 115,000 to 500,000 volts and attach to large insulators on tall wooden or most typically, metal structures. Electrical energy from the transmission lines are then converted to a distribution voltage of 7,200 volts at a substation. At the substation, the energy is then separated into multiple circuits, often called A, B, or C phase for distribution to your home. At 7,200 volts, the voltage is still too high for your home, so distribution transformers, as seen to the left, step down the voltage again to the level required for your home; 120 or 240 volts. The 7,200 volt lines are called primary lines and the 120/240 volt lines are called secondary lines. The secondary line, usually an insulated black wire, is then connected to your home’s meter box, which provides the means for tracking energy use and electrifying your home.
Providing safe, reliable electricity to you is our specialty!
WE ARE A MEMBER-OWNED ENERGY COOPERATIVE COMMITTED TO SAFE, RELIABLE SERVICE AT COMPETITIVE RATES.
2017 Capital Credit Allocation
- i n l a n d p o w e r m i s s i o n stat e m e n t
INLAND IN THE COMMUNITY
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INLAND’S DISCOUNTED EARLY CAPITAL CREDIT RETIREMENT PROGRAM
Congratulations to the Recipients of Inland Power’s Annual Excellence Award
One of the many benefits of belonging to a nonprofit electric cooperative like Inland Power is that you are an owner. Each time you purchase power, you build equity or ownership in your energy cooperative in the form of capital credits. Inland Power is now offering two options for receiving your capital credits cash back. Watch for your 2017 allocation statement being mailed to you in midSeptember 2018. What steps do I need to take? You now have the option to choose if you would like to receive your 2017 capital credits early (option one) or wait until the board determines to refund capital credits over the next 35 years (option two).
OPTION ONE To opt-in and
receive the current discounted value of your allocated capital credits from last year, sign the bottom portion of the allocation statement being mailed to you in mid-September and return it to Inland Power by October 15. You will receive a bill credit on your next billing statement. By accepting your 2017 capital credits early the remainder will be permanently invested by you in your cooperative. (The Inland Power board of trustees recommends option one).
OPTION TWO If you do not
want to receive your capital credits early, do nothing. The capital credits will remain invested in Inland Power and will be fully returned to you over the next 35 years as determined by the Inland Power board of trustees.
Sounds great, but I still have a few questions.
If you have questions please contact us at inlandpower@inlandpower.com or (509) 789-4277.
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Every year, since 1992, Inland Power & Light has been awarding scholarships to members and their dependents who have excelled academically and go above and beyond in community service. Currently, Inland Power awards 15 $1,000 scholarships to either graduating high school seniors or continuing college students. This year, those recipients were notified in early June and asked to join Inland’s scholarship committee at the Inland Power office for a special reception to congratulate the winners. Among those winners were many outstanding students who took the time to talk with Inland Power employees about their scholarship and what their plans are for their upcoming college career. Each student had a different story to share and a different plan for the future, yet, they all had a singular thing in common. They each had a strong support system at home helping them to achieve their dreams and cheering them on along the way. In Nick Rollins case, he said he initially found out about the Inland Power scholarship from his mom who worked in the Deer Park High School office. “There wasn’t a scholarship that I didn’t know about. My mom told me about every single one and urged me to apply for as many as I could.” Rollins laughed. When he found out he had received the award, his mom was right there beside him to celebrate the good news. Maria Alvarez, a current freshman at Whitworth University, had a similar experience when she found out she had been selected. “I got home from school one day and walked into the kitchen to see both of my parents at the kitchen table. There was a letter in front of them and they both looked up at me-” Alvarez quickly recalled. “I quickly grabbed the letter, opened it, and realized I had won the scholarship. We were all so happy. It was a great moment in the kitchen that day.” It’s in these moments that strong families and solid communities can assist each other, especially those looking to pursue a brighter future. “I’m so thankful. Winning this scholarship will help me prioritize my studies instead of worrying about having to get a part time job during school.” said Ben Kiehn, another recipient who found out he had been selected from an ecstatic FaceTime conversation with his dad. Whether you’re looking to study Aerospace Engineering like Tyson Shenck, a 2018 award recipient, Molecular Biology like Catherine Karchner, another award recipient, or even Graphic Design like Nick Rollins, Inland Power aims to help in any
SPOKANE, WA 99224
way that we can. Community comes first and we want to wish all award recipients the best of luck in their future endeavors. These youth are going places!
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